$600,000 at $20,000 a year, year by year
Starting at 65, the money is still there at 95. The withdrawal grows 2% a year, so by year 20 it is $29,136; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $600,000 | $20,000 | $609,000 |
| 2 | 66 | $609,000 | $20,400 | $618,030 |
| 3 | 67 | $618,030 | $20,808 | $627,083 |
| 4 | 68 | $627,083 | $21,224 | $636,152 |
| 5 | 69 | $636,152 | $21,649 | $645,228 |
| 6 | 70 | $645,228 | $22,082 | $654,304 |
| 7 | 71 | $654,304 | $22,523 | $663,370 |
| 8 | 72 | $663,370 | $22,974 | $672,416 |
| 9 | 73 | $672,416 | $23,433 | $681,432 |
| 10 | 74 | $681,432 | $23,902 | $690,407 |
| 11 | 75 | $690,407 | $24,380 | $699,328 |
| 12 | 76 | $699,328 | $24,867 | $708,184 |
| 13 | 77 | $708,184 | $25,365 | $716,960 |
| 14 | 78 | $716,960 | $25,872 | $725,642 |
| 15 | 79 | $725,642 | $26,390 | $734,215 |
| 16 | 80 | $734,215 | $26,917 | $742,663 |
| 17 | 81 | $742,663 | $27,456 | $750,967 |
| 18 | 82 | $750,967 | $28,005 | $759,110 |
| 19 | 83 | $759,110 | $28,565 | $767,073 |
| 20 | 84 | $767,073 | $29,136 | $774,833 |
| 21 | 85 | $774,833 | $29,719 | $782,370 |
| 22 | 86 | $782,370 | $30,313 | $789,660 |
| 23 | 87 | $789,660 | $30,920 | $796,677 |
| 24 | 88 | $796,677 | $31,538 | $803,396 |
| 25 | 89 | $803,396 | $32,169 | $809,789 |
| 26 | 90 | $809,789 | $32,812 | $815,825 |
| 27 | 91 | $815,825 | $33,468 | $821,475 |
| 28 | 92 | $821,475 | $34,138 | $826,704 |
| 29 | 93 | $826,704 | $34,820 | $831,478 |
| 30 | 94 | $831,478 | $35,517 | $835,759 |
| 31 | 95 | $835,759 | $36,227 | $839,508 |
| 32 | 96 | $839,508 | $36,952 | $842,684 |
| 33 | 97 | $842,684 | $37,691 | $845,243 |
| 34 | 98 | $845,243 | $38,445 | $847,138 |
| 35 | 99 | $847,138 | $39,214 | $848,321 |
| 36 | 100 | $848,321 | $39,998 | $848,740 |
| 37 | 101 | $848,740 | $40,798 | $848,339 |
| 38 | 102 | $848,339 | $41,614 | $847,061 |
| 39 | 103 | $847,061 | $42,446 | $844,846 |
| 40 | 104 | $844,846 | $43,295 | $841,629 |
The odds $600,000 lasts at $20,000 a year
Returns arrive in a random order, and a few bad years early do the most damage. In 1,000 simulated markets, this is the share in which $20,000 a year, rising with inflation, still leaves money in the account after each number of years.
| For | Trinity-style (7%, 12%) | Cautious (5%, 15%) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 years | 99% | 92% |
| 25 years | 94% | 82% |
| 30 years | 89% | 70% |
| 35 years | 82% | 60% |
| 40 years | 76% | 51% |
What other returns and inflation do
| Return | No raise | 2% raise | 3% raise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 60+ years | 36 years | 30 years |
| 4% | 60+ years | 45 years | 36 years |
| 5% | 60+ years | 60+ years | 45 years |
| 6% | 60+ years | 60+ years | 60+ years |
| 7% | 60+ years | 60+ years | 60+ years |
$20,000 a year from other balances
| Balance | Lasts |
|---|---|
| $200,000 | 12 years |
| $250,000 | 16 years |
| $300,000 | 20 years |
| $350,000 | 24 years |
| $400,000 | 30 years |
| $450,000 | 36 years |
| $500,000 | 44 years |
| $600,000 | 60+ years |
Tax on a $20,000 withdrawal
From a traditional 401(k) or IRA, the whole withdrawal is ordinary income, and it can make more of your Social Security taxable. Federal tax it adds at 65 on 2026 rules, estimates:
| Household | Federal tax | Share of the withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Single, $24,000 of Social Security | $0 | 0% |
| Married, $42,000 of Social Security | $0 | 0% |
Roth withdrawals after 59½ and a five-year holding period are tax-free; money in a taxable account is taxed only on the gains. The retirement tax calculator adds state tax.
The calculator, set to these numbers
Taking $20,000 a year ($1,667 a month) from $600,000, raised 2.0% a year for inflation, at a steady 5.0% return, the money runs out in year 68, around age 132. To make it last exactly 30 years, you could start at $29,511 a year.
Other withdrawals from $600,000
| Withdrawal a year | A month | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $1,667 | 60+ years |
| $25,000 | $2,083 | 40 years |
| $30,000 | $2,500 | 30 years |
| $40,000 | $3,333 | 20 years |
| $50,000 | $4,167 | 15 years |
| $60,000 | $5,000 | 12 years |
All withdrawals and the odds on one page: how long $600,000 lasts.
How it is worked out
The steady-return figures are the how-long calculator’s own math: the withdrawal comes out at the start of each year, the rest earns the return, and the next withdrawal is 2% larger to keep up with inflation. Real markets do not return the same every year, so the odds come from 1,000 simulated sequences of yearly returns: Trinity-style (7% average, 12% volatility, 3% inflation) and cautious (5%, 15%, 2%). Taxes and fees are not taken out; take them from the withdrawal you enter. More on the method on the methodology page.